(CNN) – After the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. first gained wide public recognition in the mid-1950s, he made a special request to evangelist Billy Graham.

King was poised to join Graham on one of his barnstorming crusades, but he would do so only on one condition. He asked Graham to publicly speak out against segregation, a request Graham declined, says San Diego State University historian Edward Blum.

soundoff(26 Responses)

Wake up people

Wow so Billy Graham wouldn't speak out against segregation?? That statement in itself tells me all I need to know. I guess all of these holier than thou preachers aren't as holy as they pretend to be. No wonder racism is still hanging over our heads....